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French language versions of this story- La traduction française suit le texte anglais

IAAF President and Diamond League AG Chairman Lamine Diack, and Qatar Athletics Federation President and IAAF Vice President Dahlan Al Hamad, held a breakfast meeting with international journalists and key opinion formers from nine countries in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday (7).

Although the two men will meet the media more formally at the traditional press conference (Thursday 8 May) the day before the 2014 IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha on Friday 9 May, it gave them the opportunity to discuss a number of important topics in a more informal setting.

The focus of attention was on the 2014 IAAF Diamond League and the first meeting in Doha on Friday but other subjects covered included: the history of the Doha athletics meeting since its inauguration in 1997, reflections on the state of the sport in Asia, Doha’s bid to be the host of the 2019 IAAF World Championships, President Diack’s vision of expanding the practice of athletics in schools globally, the possibility of cross country re-entering the Olympic programme and IAAF support for indoor athletics.

Doha will stage the first of 14 IAAF Diamond League meetings in 2014, the fifth year of the sport’s premier one-day meeting circuit.

The press conference on Thursday 8 May will start at 11:00 local time in Doha (Asian standard time) / 08:00 GMT and will feature an important announcement concerning the future of the IAAF Diamond League.

NOTE - New location for live stream

The Doha 2014 Press Conference will be streamed live on the IAAF Diamond League website - click here to view the stream which will commence a few minutes before the press conference start time